Activist, 75, chains himself to tree

By Carol Christian |
May 1, 2012
| Updated: May 1, 2012 11:14pm

Ovide Duncantell, director of the Black Heritage Society, chained himself to what he called "Martin Luther King Tree of Life." along the esplanade of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Old Spanish Trail where the tree was being prepared to move to make way for the METRORail project Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in Houston.
Duncantell said he's protesting he does not trust METRO or the City of Houston on their verbal agreement that they made to move the tree a hundred yards or so across the street into McGregor Park and to allow the Black Heritage Society to manage that spot.
"I want it in writing," he said.
The tree, he said, is a space-holder for a statue of Martin Luther King the society plans on having made.
"I would go to prison for this tree," said Duncantell, 75. "I can feel Trayvon Martin's spirit in this tree. I can feel Martin Luther King's spirit in this tree. It's going to be a fight."
The move is part of a plan to relocate the 29-year-old oak that stands in the path of Metro's Southeast light rail line under construction between Palm Center and downtown.
( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

"Look what happened to the Indians," Duncantell said. "I don't trust Metro and I don't trust the city."

The confrontation has its origins in the heritage society's 1980 request that the city build a memorial to King in the esplanade. That project never materialized, so the society planted the tree to honor King in 1983.

When Duncantell and his colleagues discovered that the tree would have to be removed to make way for Metro's Southeast light rail line, a series of meetings commenced. In March, the agency agreed to spend $100,000 to relocate the tree and $650,000 for a memorial sculpture.

Duncantell said he wants written assurances from Metro that the heritage society would be the conservators of the park, would have the authority to choose the sculptor and would approve any improvements. He said he wouldn't move until he was satisfied these concerns would be addressed.

"I would go to prison for this tree," he said. "This tree is sacred to us."

Metro spokesman Jerome Gray described plans for moving the tree as an "ongoing process."

"We're prepared to move the tree, but we certainly want to take into consideration the concerns of the community," Gray said.

Duncantell began his vigil at 8 a.m., eating nothing and drinking just water and juice. Colleagues filled in for him for restroom breaks.

"I'm 75 years old but I'm still a warrior," Dun- cantell said.

He said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee visited him and ensured him his concerns would be addressed.

He left about 10:20 p.m., but said he may return Wednesday. "We're going to give this a chance," he said.

"We firmly believe that since MacGregor is a city park, no one group should ever have exclusive rights about anything," McDavid said. "No one group has the right to the tree, to the relocation, to MacGregor Park."